Australian Sailing signs six year RIB partnership with Southern Pacific Boats

Australian Sailing has signed a six year partnership for the supply of RIBs in the run up to the 2032 Olympics © Australian Sailing Team

Australian Sailing has signed a six-year global partnership with Southern Pacific Boats, with the Australasian manufacturer becoming the official Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) of Australian Sailing and the Australian Sailing Team (AST) through to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

The agreement will see Southern Pacific supplying PerformR and SeekR RIBs to the AST coaching fleet, as they work alongside Australian sailors at both the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

An additional benefit of the partnership will be exclusive club pricing for Australian Sailing Affiliated Clubs, giving clubs access to Southern Pacific RIBs at highly competitive prices for race management, coaching, safety and on-water support.

The initiative is designed to help Affiliated Clubs invest in quality RIBs while strengthening their capability to support sailors, coaches and events on the water. Affiliated Clubs can choose from three RIBs under this initiative - Vortex, SeekR and PerformR - each suited to different club needs. SPB also offers a wider range of boats outside these options.

The announcement complements the recent partnership between Australian Sailing and Mercury Marine, which gives Affiliated Clubs access to exclusive discounts through participating dealers on outboard motor purchases.

The partnership recognises the critical role RIBs play at every level of sailing, from clubs delivering coaching and safety operations to high performance coaches supporting athletes on the world stage.

AST Technical Director, Michael Blackburn OLY, commented that Australian Sailing has welcomed Southern Pacific Boats as a long-term partner.

“We’re delighted to partner with Southern Pacific Boats through to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. Their RIBs provide a reliable, high-performance platform for our coaches to take on all conditions while they support Australia’s leading Olympic class sailors in training and competition.

“We are also grateful that Southern Pacific are also providing an important benefit to our Australian Sailing Affiliated Clubs through access to high-quality RIBs at exclusive prices.”

Southern Pacific Boats brings decades of expertise in designing and building RIBs engineered for the toughest marine conditions, with its boats used by sailing clubs, coaches and sailors across the full spectrum of the sailing community. SPB's boats are built on naval architecture principles that prioritise stability, durability, and performance on the water. As a New Zealand-domiciled company, Southern Pacific Boats combines Kiwi maritime heritage with rigorous design standards, delivering RIBs that perform reliably whether they're supporting a training fleet, chasing a race start, or working coastal patrol duties.

Australian Sailing extends its thanks to Southern Pacific Boats and looks forward to a long lasting and successful partnership that delivers benefits from grassroots sailing clubs through to high performance.